I know I continue to mention the days when I’m able to sleep in. Well, today I took it to a whole new level! It was 9:30 am when I finally opened my eyes! The hardest part about sleeping in is trying to hold your pee so long. Since we were already on the Island, I knew I only had a few kilometers to skate to the Boston Pizza in Saanich, so there was no hurry to get moving today. As I started down Highway 17 towards the city, I was carrying a faster pace the normal. I figured my stamina is good enough to sprint a few kilometers. But when 10 km went by, then 11, 12, 13, 14, I started to get impatient. I even saw a Welcome To Victoria sign before I finally reached my destination.

When I rolled into the parking lot at Boston Pizza, I could see the facial expressions of the staff through the windows. I’m not sure if their eyes were wide with amazement and admiration, or if it was shock and concern since I was a few hours early. But we reassured them that we were just stopping in to drop off some posters and we’d be back for supper. Jess and the rest of the staff at the BP were all pumped to have me coming in. The atmosphere was exceptionally welcoming and energetic. They even took the time to create a small description sheet about me and put them up at every table in the restaurant. Another simple but effective idea. And another first, too. The balloons at our table was another nice touch, as well. I can only imagine the success we could have had across the country if every store had Jess running it!

Oceanside RV Park in Saanich is a brand new establishment and were thrilled to have us stay with them. By the time I got cleaned up and showered, the afternoon was fading away. It was already 3 pm and the sky wanted to rain. So rather than driving to Victoria to site-see, or going to Butchart Gardens, we went up to Sidney and walked around the Harbour area. The misty rain that was now falling really made me home sick. It felt like the typical Vancouver rain.

We headed back to Boston Pizza where the wide eyes of concern had now been replaced by genuine warm smiles to greet us. Jess and his wife truly went out of their way to make us feel like part of the family. They even invited their entire family in just for me! Actually, they were there to celebrate Jess’s mother’s birthday. But it was great to meet them all. And the highlight of the night was having A-Channel television show up for an interview. Jess had taken it upon himself to arrange to have the media stop by. I’ve done a lot of interviews and thankfully I’ve only had to watch myself on t.v. once. But I’m told I don’t look too foolish.

If may be the drizzly rain, or maybe it’s a false sensation of being at the end of my journey, but all four of us were pretty exhausted and crashed pretty early. I’m also excited because tomorrow marks a special day. It will be my first day with no skating since I left Niagara Falls! I think I’ve earned a day off to take in the local scenery. After all, I’ve busted my butt to this point getting myself ahead of schedule!

The stench of garbage didn’t bring me out of my sleep today. Instead, the sound of yapping dogs directly beside our RV acted as my alarm clock. It’s not uncommon for campers to have dogs with them, but it seemed disrespectful to stand around in a group talking, laughing and letting your dogs bark at 6:30 am only a few feet from someone else’s motor home. Our neighbors seemed to be lacking any common human courtesy. I’ve never been a morning person, and waking up in this manner sure didn’t help matters.

The overcast sky and the misty rain typical of the Lower Mainland really made me feel like I was finally home. I laced up my rain skates and hit the pavement rolling. But something wasn’t right. On every stride, I could feel my right leg jerk backwards as if I’d just skated through a tar patch. The same thing had happened to me just the other day as I was leaving Langley, but I didn’t take the time to figure out the problem. The only way I can describe the sensation is that it felt like my brake would spontaneously rub against the wheel, but only when I took a stride. If I was coasting, it seemed to be fine. I had a ferry to catch, so I couldn’t take the time to determine what was impeding my progress. I had no choice but to wear my dry skates. I wasn’t happy about this, but I figured I only have a few days of skating left, so it’s not that big of a deal.

I headed down a wet highway 99 towards the Tsawwassen ferries. We weren’t intending on having an escort today since it was Sunday morning of a long weekend. So it was a pleasant surprise when we were offered our most unique escort of the trip. I was about half way there when a big yellow road-work truck pulled in front of me and came to rest. The driver got out and walked towards me. He just wanted to check if I was planning on blading through the Massey Tunnel. I explained that I wasn’t and that I was on my way to the ferry. Impressed with my efforts, the man offered to follow behind us with a huge flashing arrow warning drivers to merge left around me. He told us that he’d take us as far as he could, but we figured that meant just until we got off the highway. I couldn’t believe it when he followed us all the way to the ferry terminal! I’ve been given many escorts across the country, but this was the first time from a road-work vehicle.

There I stood on the bow of the ferry with Crystal at my side staring out at the Pacific Ocean. It’s still hard to grasp the fact that I was dipping my hand in the Atlantic Ocean 4 months ago and after nearly 10,000 km, I was making my way to Vancouver Island. Oddly enough, I’ve been in Vancouver for 3 years and never made my way to the Island. As if my experience onboard wasn’t exciting enough, the captain took the time to announce to everyone that I was on the ship. Although most people wouldn’t recognize me as ‘The Rollerblader’, when we got of the boat, it was quite obvious that everyone had heard the announcement. The honks during the first few kilometers on the Island were more abundant than ever before! But I have to admit the highlight of the ferry ride came about half way across the trip. About 5 months ago, Crystal and I had gone whale watching in these same waters and came out empty-handed. No whales to be seen. So I never expected to actually see a pod of Killer Whales while crossing on this boat! They weren’t exceptionally close, but it was impressive to see the tall, proud dorsal fins glide gracefully through the waves.

The clouds still hadn’t broke when I took my first few strides on Vancouver Island, so I thought I should give my rain skates another chance. The buggers still didn’t want to work for me. This time I couldn’t stand it, so I spent some time trying to figure out the issue. I removed the stopper, but that didn’t help. I changed the bearings, but that wasn’t it. I put a new wheel on, but it was still happening. Finally I tried changing all four wheels on the right boot. And that’s when I figured it out. The second wheel from the front was clearly rubbing on the bottom of the boot itself, but only when I apply extensive pressure to the boot….like the pressure of a full stride. The only thing I can think of is that the material of the boot has weakened from the constant exposure to rough weather. All the rain must have made the structure deteriorate to the point that it sags down when pressure is applied and rubs against the wheel. You can actually see on the boot where the wheel has begun to grind into the sole. After brainstorming with my parents and Crystal for some time, the only solution we came up with was to put 90 mm wheels on instead of the 100 mm wheels I’ve been using all the way across. It will be interesting to see how this works out.

On my way down Highway 17 towards Victoria I came across an advertisers nightmare. There’s a stretch of road a couple kilometers long with more billboards than I’ve ever seen in my life! Every 20 feet is a new sign with a different ad. It seemed pretty distracting to me. I’m surprised there aren’t more accidents along this road.

Not including the ferry ride, I’d covered over 50 kilometers when I arrived at Island View RV Park in Saanich. We were right on a beach with a gorgeous view and incredible driftwood scattered everywhere along the water’s edge. We hadn’t started our dinner yet when the owners of the neighbouring RV pulled in beside us. Janine and her son, Brenden came by and shared some amazing stories and experiences. Janine is a golden ray of sun and Brenden is an all around great kid. They are both wonderful humanitarians…and Brenden even has the certificates to prove it!

It was nice having some extra time with Crystal and my parents without having to rush off to Boston Pizza for a reception. We took the time to bond over a peaceful game of Wizzard. I’m not going to take the time to explain how Wizzard works, but it’s basically a card game with euchre-like rules. And there’s nothing peaceful about it. It’s every man (or woman) for them self. To make a long story short, I destroyed everyone!

Tomorrow will be a short day since I’m not scheduled to be escorted through Victoria until September 5th. But I will skate down to the Boston Pizza. For now, I’ll just enjoy our quiet campsite near Sidney.

And so another month begins.

Before this journey began, it wasn’t unusual to wake up to the sound of sea gulls or crows squawking near my window. But I know that living in a major city like Vancouver, there are a lot worse things that could wake me up. Humans have 5 senses: sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t surprised when it was my sense of smell that stirred me today. Some people wake up to the smell of fresh coffee. For others it may be bacon and eggs. I had the misfortune to be roused by the overwhelming stench of rotting garbage. That’s right, the Vancouver civic strike is still in full force and the mounds of garbage make it visually and aromatically noticeable. With any luck, the issue will be resolved soon. Maybe this was a good summer to be away from the city!

My blade down 152nd Street into White Rock didn’t last too long from Surrey. Crystal handed me an envelope along the way from Sandra, a colleague of hers at Worksafe BC. Inside was a generous contribution. If everyone collected a few dollars from their co-workers for cancer research, we would all be closer to a cure.

A lot of people have commented on the mix-up in Chilliwack. Today I had the opportunity to chat with the manager at the BP there. The situation was unfortunate, but it was just a break down in communication. The Chilliwack BP is very supportive of the Skate For Hope and is actually making a significant contribution to the cause. Thank you Chilliwack BP!

The Peace Arch RV Park in White Rock was happy to accept us into their establishment. The park is a gorgeous place with incredible flowers and gardens through the property. The facilities were clean and convenient. My parents even said they will come back to stay here when they come to visit me which is fine with me since I only have a one bedroom apartment.

We had a bit of time to kill so we headed down to the water in White Rock. We strolled along the pier and through some local stores. My shorts have been annihilated by the harmful sun this summer, so I was able to find a couple new pairs. I know my Uncle Ron should be happy about my new purchase. I’ve heard he was never crazy about my flowery board shorts. We also made a quick stop at White Mountain Ice Cream. We were hoping to meet the owner since we have a unique connection with her. Her father was my family doctor in Kingston and actually delivered me just over 28 years ago! She wasn’t there today, but it would be nice to meet up sometime.

Ever since we had a tune up in Welland, Ontario, the RV has been running fairly well. So today we thought we’d give her a good test. If you know White Rock, you know there are some very steep hills on many of the streets. We headed up the most grueling incline we could find. My dad’s foot was to the floor. I could see a bead of sweat forming on his brow as we got near the top. With white knuckles and teeth clenched, Dad looked up to the peak and saw a stop sign. “Like Hell I’m stopping!” he exclaimed. We were all pretty nervous that if he were to come to a complete rest at this angle, we’d start picking up a lot of speed in the opposite direction. If a car hadn’t been coming through the intersection when we got to it, I think my Dad really would have rolled through. The grade must have been about 15% and now we were stopped. With a THUD, my Dad’s foot slammed on the accelerator and the motor home gurgled and chugged. Hair by hair we managed to turn the corner and barely made it back to level ground. She worked hard, and we all had to change our underwear at the end of it, but we made it successfully to the top.

I was pretty excited when I rolled into the Boston Pizza in White Rock. Topher, the manager, and the rest of the staff were all psyched to have me coming in! They had a contest planned for their servers to help raise donations for me, posters, and even a recent newspaper article displayed on the front counter. Another co-worker of Crystal’s made an appearance at the restaurant to show her support. Barbara had also e-mailed me earlier in the day to introduce herself. She’s an incredibly lively woman with a heart of gold. Not to be outdone by her cousin, my friend Pranita also showed up for dinner with her boyfriend. It was great to see you again, P.

The most special guest of the evening wasn’t even someone I knew. Fay and her husband had read about me in the newspaper and instantly decided that they wanted to come to Boston Pizza to meet me. A local to White Rock, Fay was so touched by what I’m doing that she invited us all to her place for dinner when my journey is finished next week. Fay, my parents might not be available, but Crystal and I intend to take you up on that offer. I’ll be expecting your phone call!

We scarfed down our food quickly because Boston Pizza had arranged to have me make an appearance at the Big Kahuna South Surrey Rams football game. The field was just down the street, so we hustled when we were done our meal. Kiri met us there and introduced me to a few of the top dogs of the football organization. At half time, I went out to mid-field with Kiri and Chris where I was introduced to the entire crowd. It wasn’t quite the same as the Edmonton Folk Festival, but it was great exposure to be in front of a couple hundred football fans. During the second half, we stood on the side lines enjoying the game when I was permanently scarred by a horrific scene in front of me. I watched as the teams broke their huddles and walked to the line of scrimmage. The quarterback took the snap and the play was under way. Suddenly I caught a white blur in the corner of my eye. It seemed a bit unusual that there were players so far down the field away from where the action was. As I turned my head to see why they were down in the end zone, I quickly realized they weren’t players at all. They weren’t referees, either. Three young men came sprinting down the stadium at top speed. And they were naked! I can’t say I’ve ever been to an event when streakers have made an appearance, and I hope I never am again. Simply disturbing.

That was enough for me. we headed back to the RV park for a quiet night. Tomorrow I head for Vancouver Island! It’s hard to believe I’ve been on the West Cost for 3 years and haven’t been to the Island yet.

I woke up on the top bunk in the RV just as I’ve done 120 times before. But this morning was different. I opened my eyes to see an angel lying next to me. After 4 months of sleeping alone, I wasn’t sure what it would be like to have Crystal beside me again. I’ve been getting used to sprawling out across the double bed. But it felt natural to have her there.

Crystal headed to work, Kent and Matt were just waking up and I was getting ready to go back to Langley to skate. I didn’t have much time to visit with my friends this morning, but I knew I’d be back tonight to see everyone.

Sargent Cameron met us in the parking lot at Boston Pizza and provided an escort from Langley to Surrey. The sky was threatening to rain, but it had managed to hold off all morning. Then I started skating… and the rained started falling. Although it wasn’t much of a factor, but it was frustrating that it began to pour as soon as I was rolling, and it stopped when I arrived at my destination. Just cruel.

I only had to skate about 10 km to Surrey today, but it took a while since traffic was backed up due to construction. The slow pace and the police escort provided great exposure and lots of honks. When I coasted into Boston Pizza, and the sun started to peak through the clouds, my parents and I hit another frustrating obstacle. The staff at the restaurant had no idea I was coming in! Ugh. We’ve been working so hard to give the stores ample notice of our attendance, but apparently there was a mix-up in communications with this location. We were supposed to call back the owner to confirm but must have forgot. We must be on the phone at least 8 hours a day, so it’s pretty easy for miss a call. Someone had even called this Boston Pizza asking about me, but the managers had told them I wouldn’t be here. We learned our lesson. Immediately after smoothing out the wrinkles, we got back on the phone to make 100% sure that all remaining locations are confirmed.

Even with our carelessness, this Boston Pizza was excited to have us. In a last-minute effort, the management and promotional rep created a unique way to get customers involved and bring donation in. It was a very simple idea, but a great one. They sold raffle tickets for $5 a piece and the winner received their meal for free! Well done, Surrey BP! You surprised me with another first!

We had a full table tonight. Normally my parents and I would be eating alone, but while I was setting up at the hostesses booth, a voice came from behind me. “You must be Rich.” It was Dave and his girlfriend, Cory. I met Dave semi-randomly on Facebook. He had started a group asking for ideas of where to donate a substantial amount of money for cancer. To make a long story short, Crystal had suggested to him that he donate to my Skate For Hope and after receiving hundreds of other ideas, Dave choose me! We’d been in touch a few times and since he lives just around the corner, he came out to finally meet me.

Anjenett, a former co-worker of mine, also showed up to see me. If you’ve been following my progress from the beginning, you may remember when I was in Gander, Newfoundland. I was welcomed into the house of Bob and Kay for an afternoon meal and a hot shower. Well, these wonderful folks were Anjenett’s in-laws. It was great to eat with the company of Dave, Cory and Anjenett.

Back at my buddies’ house, I finally had a taste of what I left behind when I began the trip. Just a casual evening sitting around chatting with friends. The familiarity of it all was refreshing. Crystal, Kirsten, Chris, Kent, Matt, Louise, Jim and Nikki. Yup, seeing a few of my friends was nice, but also tough knowing that I’m not done. I feel so close, and yet tomorrow I’m rolling further away from home. As gratifying as this journey has been, I’m excited to get home.

I’ve been in the Lower Mainland for a few days now and I’m starting to get anxious to get home. So you can imagine my frustration of being so close but not being able to actually sleep in my own bed! I woke up in Abbotsford today and we drove back to Mission where I would be starting my skate for the day.

Exposure has been getting better as I get closer to the finish line, so I was caught completely off guard when an irate motorist screamed out the window at me to “Get Off The (fill in blank here) Road!” I hadn’t been on my skates for more that 25 seconds when this man decided to express his opinion of cancer research. Obviously this guy was immune to cancer, I guess. To make my day even more surprising, yet another angry driver yelled at me as I came through Aldergrove. The weird thing about both of these encounters is that the drivers were both in the on-coming traffic. I can see why drivers behind me may get impatient if they get stuck behind me, but these guys had no excuse. I’d be lying if these type of situations weren’t disheartening. To think that I have come over 9,000 km on nothing more than my inline skates and managed to raise nearly $40,000 towards cancer research and people still show animosity towards me can be very discouraging. Especially since I’m finally coming into my home area.

Fortunately, the encouraging honks, waves and cheers greatly out-numbered the scoffs. I even had 2 wonderful women stop and donate today at the same time. The first woman to pull over told me that she missed me in Abbotsford and wanted to catch me today! The second woman had actually crossed my path in Northern Ontario and couldn’t pass up a second opportunity to help me in my cause. It’s people like these ladies who make it easy for me to forget about the very few jerks that I run into along the way.

40 kilometers after starting, I rolled into Boston Pizza in Langley on the Langley Bypass and it was only 2:30 in the afternoon. In order to kill some time I headed to the bank to deposit some donation money. I got chatting with some of the tellers who had heard about me on the radio. They were all so excited to meet me that they now plan to collect donations at their pot-luck lunch tomorrow! Great ladies at the BMO!

It was a quiet night at Boston Pizza, but the staff and owner, Ken, turned it into a great experience. Everyone in the restaurant, customers and staff, knew I was there. And as a result, the evening was very successful. It doesn’t take much…it’s all about awareness. Thanks for everything Ken, Rod, and the rest at BP! I tried to get a photo with Ken, but he insisted I take some shots with the staff instead. I even got one picture in which I’m having a sword fight using my skates with one of the servers!

Rather than pulling into a campground tonight, I figured that we were close enough to my friends’ place that we would just drive over and park there for the night. Although Kent, Matt and Chris weren’t home when we got there, Louise was there to welcome me home. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen my friends, so it’s an amazing feeling to start seeing them again. To make the evening complete, Crystal came over to see me again, too! Since we weren’t far from her office, she decided to have a trial night with us in the RV and she could just go to work from here in the morning. You’ll be spending a week in these tight quarters with us, so I hope you can handle the smell of my skates!

I stretched my arms up satisfied with another chance to sleep in a bit. It’s a good thing I got some extra rest, though, because the rest of the morning I was busy booking ferries, calling media, arranging escorts and confirming Boston Pizza’s. By the time we were finished calling, I felt like I had skated 50 km! I needed a nap already.

We headed back to Abbotsford where an Officer met us to lead me to Mission. This would end up being my shortest day of skating ever! 30 minutes later, I rolled into the parking lot at Boston Pizza in Mission. I barely had time to work up a sweat. It was only about 15 kilometers.

Everyone at this restaurant was well informed and enthusiastic about my arrival. We were very early, but they welcomed us in for a quick snack. Our server, Olga, was ready for us and told us that she would also be our server tonight when we came back for the reception at 6 o’clock. I was impressed to see many of my posters up all around the store before we even showed up! They had even taken the time to create their own sheet which they posted telling customers about my journey. Yup, very impressed.

There was still a lot of time to kill which I spent in the RV catching up on journals. I know what you’re thinking. “You always seem to be spending time on journals. So why are you always behind?”. Well, my answer should be quite obvious. I’m lazy. Actually, I hope everyone understands the amount of time I need to spend on every other aspect of this journey to help make it run smoothly. This has become a full-time job that requires me to work 7 days a week, 15 hours a day. It’s been tough. But I can almost taste the finish line!

When we came back to Boston Pizza at 6:00, Olga had undergone a metamorphosis. She still looked the same in appearance, but her name tag now read ‘Alisha’. A strange transformation that requires an explanation. Apparently all the servers were given a European nick name for a themed evening. I guess Alisha really liked her name, so she continues to flip-flop her name tag. Whatever keeps you going, Alisha/Olga.

Over 9000 km are behind me and countless Boston Pizza’s. I thought I’d seen it all. But I suppose I should never make assumptions. The girls of the Mission location surprised me with 2 ‘firsts’. During Alisha’s announcement to the restaurant, rather than standing up on a chair, the 2 of us actually climbed up on the bar! I felt 12 feet tall and bullet proof as Olga bellowed to the customers about me. Very unique. Thanks, Alisha!

Then, just before leaving, a group of servers wanted a picture with me outside. But rather than taking a typical group photo, 3 of them picked me up and 2 of them started chewing on my skate! I can’t imagine my boot tasted good. I know what my feet smell like. And I’m pretty sure the girls that were holding me were groping me inappropriately. But I’ll let it slide. It’s not everyday you have 3 cute girls clawing at you like that!

Driving back to the campground, I looked around at the mountains with a big smile on my face. I was feeling what I can only describe as pure contentment. Mount Baker was directly in front of me dispalying it’s snow-covered peak proudly. I could stare at Baker for hours. I’m always amazed by it’s sheer awesomeness. And tonight it felt even more significant to see her. I know I’m getting close to home, but seeing these sort of familiar landmarks makes me feel like I’m already there.

Nearly 10,000 kilometers have been covered and not too much has changed. The RV needed some tending to. Fortunately today’s work wasn’t as serious as some of the repairs we’ve needed in the past. Kirkpatrick Auto Repair in Chilliwack donated an oil change and maintenance to help us on our way! Thanks guys. That will definitely put my Dad’s head at ease.

While the RV was being lubed, John showed up and insisted we all go out for some breakfast. Sounded good to me since it was only 8:00 am and I hadn’t had a bite to eat! I’ve become so accustomed to my traditional breakfast that I wasn’t sure what to order. But it didn’t take me long to find something I liked.

The rest of the morning was full of media calls, interviews, PR work and route mapping. I’m convinced now that blading for 6-8 hours a day is easier than all the extra leg work and calling that has to be done. I really don’t know how my parents and I managed to pull together such a successful campaign, but it’s satisfying to see our hard work paying off.

From Chilliwack to Abbotsford, I wound my way across several back roads to avoid the busy Trans Canada. I was worried that these roads would be in rough shape since they are all mainly farm roads. But they turned out to be impeccable! Traffic was quiet and respectful, the pavement felt like it had just been put down a year ago, and the weather was sunny and mild. I even took in a few hand-off donations from cars who must have heard me on the radio. Once I got through the Rockies and the torturous weather that was strewn upon me, I think the Weather Gods finally figured out that I cannot be beaten. They seemed to give in and have provided me with what looks to be an entire week of gorgeous summer weather. I guess I’m going to arrive in Vancouver just in time for the beginning of the Summer weather that failed to appear this year!

We showed up to Boston Pizza in Abbotsford a little earlier than expected. So we killed some time with some more phone calls and planning. While we were in the RV a woman came up with an envelope in her hand. Danielle had read about me on Facebook and knew I would be in the area today. She had gone out of her way to stop by and give me a beautiful card of encouragement and a wonderful donation. Thank you so much for your support Danielle!

Once inside the restaurant, we were back in our element and our typical evening routine began. The announcement went over well and several customers walked over to talk to me and donate. The night was a bit more memorable than others due to an unexpected visitor. Charlotte had received a phone call earlier in the day from my friend in Winnipeg, Randy. I had never met or even heard of Charlotte before now, but her and Randy have been long-time friends. When Randy told her what I was doing and that I was in Abbotsford, she actually left her son’s soccer game to come meet me! It takes a special person to realize that I am more important than their son! Only kidding. It was great to meet you, Charlotte. Thanks for stopping by to support me!

We decided to drive back to Chilliwack to spend one more night at John and Deb’s house. Their hospitality is just too good to ignore. But tomorrow night we’ll be staying near Mission so that I can get up and head for Langley the following day. I’ve now posted some maps of my exact routes on my homepage in case you haven’t seen them. I’ve also listed the remaining Boston Pizza appearances. I’ve said it before, but I’m going to continue mentioning it… Please come out on September 8th and join me on skates or even your bike for the last few kilometers of my journey.

I’m starting to get into a new pattern lately. Sleeping in. It’s a theme I could get used to! Realistically I could be in Vancouver in a day, but in order to arrive on schedule, I’ll be zig-zagging throughout the Lower Mainland with stops in Abbotsford, Mission, Langley, Surrey, and White Rock. Since the distance between cities isn’t very far, I’ve got some extra time on my hands so I can tie up some loose ends.

Today I spent the morning getting my journals published so all of you vultures can have your daily fix. So I’m now pretty much up to date, as are the photos. I hope everyone is still enjoying my chronicles. I haven’t had too many e-mails or messages lately, so I’m not sure if people are still following my progress.

I also had some time to re-organize and clean the RV. It was nice having a day with Crystal, but she’ll be joining us for almost an entire week while I’m on the Island. So I need to make some cupboard space for her. And word on the street is that she’s got a lot of new shoes and clothes since I left in April. Only one pair of shoes allowed in the RV, Crystal!

After lunch, we met Officer Kurt of the RCMP in Aggasiz who would be escorting me through Chilliwack to Earls restaurant. The weather has greatly improved, so I was able to cruise along the road and over the Fraser River with an enjoyable speed. It only took about an hour to go nearly 30 kilometers into town. These short days are quickly becoming my favorite part of my trip!

Earls restaurant graciously welcomed me into their establishment, even on such short notice. It was a bit stressful for us trying to arrange an alternative location after the owner of Boston Pizza in Chilliwack indicated they did not wish to accommodate me. I’m still a bit surprised that my journey is almost over and this was the first BP to refuse us. Nevertheless, Earls was a fantastic option! The staff were well informed of my arrival and management eagerly helped set up. And of course the food was fabulous! I’ve always been a fan of Earls, so it was a nice change for us.

Having John and Deb join us for the meal was also a great addition to our evening. I love my parents, but it’s nice having other people to converse with over dinner. Thanks for everything, John and Deb.

Thanks to Holiday Motel and RV Resort, I was able to sleep in this morning, with Crystal in my arms, and without having to listen to my parent’s dog pace back and forth in the motor home all night. After breakfast, we convinced Crystal that we should all drive back to the Toll Booth so she could join us for my descent out of the Rocky Mountains. Mom even let her ride shotgun!

It was still pouring rain when we reached the top, and the forecast for the rest of the day wasn’t looking any better. There was still some wind, but nothing like my descent into Merritt a couple days ago. Being Sunday afternoon, the highway was becoming busy as people were heading home from their weekend getaways. It was after lunch when I finally started my last leg of the Rockies. I had a short climb from the booth to the summit, and then a 50 km drop to Hope. The wind held me up just enough that I could maintain a steady speed of about 35-40 km/h. I’m sure I could have gone faster, but when it’s puring rain, that’s as fast as I feel comfortable going. With the exception of 2 transports and one coach bus, all traffic was very respectable and encouraging with honks and waves.

I had done it. I had conquered the Rocky Mountains and everything they could throw at me. People said I couldn’t do. Some said I shouldn’t do it. But here I was entering the Fraser Valley and leaving the mountains behind me. I rolled back into Hope at 2:30 pm. On a normal day, I would just be starting my afternoon at this time. Crystal was shaking from the intensity of watching me speed down a slippery, wet mountain. She decided it was time for her to head back to Vancouver to get organized and ready for work tomorrow. Chilliwack was still 50 km away, so I didn’t think I’d be able to reach it today. But I’d give it a shot. I headed down highway 7 since the Trans Canada was just a bit too busy for my enjoyment at this point. Luckily, #7 had just been paved last year! The rain was also subsiding now, too! It was almost as if Mother Nature had realized She wasn’t going to win. She knew that nothing was going to stop me from reaching my goal, so She gave me a peace offering in the form of sun and smooth, flat ground.

My day ended in Agassiz. Considering I had started after lunch and managed to complete about 90 km, I felt satisfied stopping here and driving the few kilometers to our friend’s house in Chilliwack. John and Deb had a steak and corn dinner waiting for us which I devoured in minutes. A tender t-bone was a fantastic finish to a roller coaster of a day.

The Weather Gods took one last shot at me. I had left my wireless network card at the hotel in Hope, so John offered to drive back to get it. Since Hope isn’t far from Chilliwack, it wasn’t a big deal. It was dark when we headed out. The moon was glistening above us and the stars were sparkling. But the hillsides must have been saturated from the ran over the past 2 days. Perhaps you heard about a late night rock slide on Highway 1 between Hope and Chilliwack? Well, I’m happy to say that I escaped unscathed. The slide must have just missed us as we returned back to Chilliwack from Hope.

Don’t forget about Earls in Chilliwack tomorrow night. And Boston Pizza Abbotsford on Sumas on Tuesday night. There will be other locations announced shortly throughout the Lower Mainland including Mission, Langley, White Rock and Surrey. but I won’t be hitting Vancouver until I return back from the Island on September 8th! I hope everyone will come out and skate (or cycle) with me that day. Tell everyone!

Of my entire 10,000 km journey across Canada, I knew that the Coquihalla would be one of the toughest sections. It was about 115 km from Merritt to Hope, and the first 70 km would be uphill. Looking at the forecast, I knew the Weather Gods weren’t going to offer any support either. I got up earlier than normal so I could begin the climb before the winds and rain hit. Well, at least it wasn’t raining yet. But even at 6 am, the winds were already howling.

Before I even reached the highway, donations had begun to pour in. One man had excitedly honked his horn as I rolled past him at a gas station in town. A few minutes later, he came barreling up the road and pulled over in front of me. He was so happy to meet me and donate. I wish everyone could share his early morning enthusiasm.

Let the fight begin. The Coquihalla was physically demanding and exhausting, but I was more mentally prepared today. Even though this climb was tougher than yesterday, I was expecting this. I tried to focus on my music and take one small stride at a time. During my first break, there was a knock at the door. I looked out the back window to see the flashing lights of a Police cruiser. We weren’t sure if I’d actually be allowed on the Coquihalla on rollerblades, but we had been seeing signs that it is a bike route. So we felt confident that it wouldn’t be an issue. It turned out that the officer had received a call saying that our flashing lights were not functioning. But the policeman laughed a little as he came up to our door, because it was obvious that the complainee wasn’t paying attention. Our lights had been on the entire time and the officer had even seen us on his way into work this morning. He wished us well and sent us on our way.

Another expected obstacle in my way was a short construction zone. Traffic was reduced to one lane in either direction while crews were repairing a couple of bridges. Since the oncoming lanes were closed to traffic at this point, I hopped over and enjoyed the freedom of two large lanes to myself. When I reached the first bridge, the construction was apparently finished, but the surface of the bridge was fresh concrete. I analyzed the situation and could only see 2 alternatives. One - go back to the traffic and carefully cross the bridge on a narrow shoulder with cars and trucks speeding past. Two - tip toe across the fresh concrete. Fortunately, the new concrete had been covered with a strange, wet cloth material. I stayed close to the edge and held most of my weight off the surface by pulling myself along the rail with my hands. I wouldn’t be so lucky to have a choice at the next bridge. Construction on this one was in full force. I had to cut back across traffic and sprint across the overpass when I felt it was safe enough. Let me tell you, sprinting on skates in gail-force winds is not an easy task.

It seemed like a good time to stop for another break. As I was gather my gear and getting ready to head back out on the road, I saw a little red car pull over in front of us. It took me only a second to realize it was Shawn and Melissa, the friends who had come out to see me in Calgary! They were on their way back to Vancouver and stopped to see how I was doing. Don’t take this the wrong way, Shawn, but you guys never should have stopped! When they got back in their car to leave, the engine wouldn’t start. We tried everything to get it running again, but it just wouldn’t go. I felt bad having to leave them there, but CAA was on the way. We later found out that it was the starter and Shawn and Melissa were forced to spend a night in Merritt so the car could be repaired. Look on the bright side, guys. You made my journal again!

I kept pushing hard through the swirling wind and up the tormenting hills. The rain had held off until a mere 2 kilometers before reaching the toll booth near the summit. A quick skate change and I was back at it. I can only imagine what the toll booth operator was thinking as I skated up to him in the pouring rain. He didn’t seem to care too much, though. We asked politely if they would donate the $10 pass for the highway. His only response was “Nope. This is B.C……Bring Cash.” I was in no mood to argue, so we paid the money and parted ways.

Just as we pulled away from the booth, my mom told me that we needed to stop to let the dog out for a break. I was just about to get in the RV when I heard a voice behind me. “Hey! Can I make a donation?” a girl’s voice said. I turned with a smile intending to accept the donation happily. But my smile quickly changed to confusion, and then awe. My jaw dropped as Crystal came running towards me and leaped into my arms! Four months. I haven’t seen her in four months and she managed to work with my parents to surprise me here. WEll, it worked. I was clueless. I never expected to see her until I was at least in the Lower Mainland. It was a teary, emotional reunion as we embraced and kissed in the rain.

My plans for the rest of the day took a sudden change. Instead of rolling into Hope today, we were now going to drive down and come back to the booth tomorrow to carry on. Holiday Motel and RV Resort in Hope donated a site and a room to us for the night. I’m not usually an easy person to surprise, but Crystal pulled one over on me good today. It couldn’t have come at a better time, either. I was prepared to skate another 50 km to Hope, but realistically, my body was battered and beat from climbing the Coquihalla Pass.